The Penn's Grove record., 1887-05-28
AN AMICABLE ARRANGEMENT.

| AIN hMIOhDEL hillbEAN lin I4AN II
Mr., Gimblet, the celebrated ex-de
tectiye, was foolish enough to transac
his Stock Exchange business through
an outside broker. With all his astute
ness, he shared the ~idiesyncrasy o
many clever people, or being somewhat
careless about his private affairs, and
the glowing advertisements of Messrs
Want & Slowbody had proved irresist
EbIe. lie had not done badly by the
firm, upon the whole, when n morn
ing he learned to his great disgust thai
the junior partner had disappeared
after committing extensive defalca'
| tions.
Mr.. Gimblet, fortunately, had re-
| Gently realized nearly all his securities
and duly received payment. There
remained a balance due to him, but II
was not very much, and ii the failure
| Of Messrs. Want g. Slowbody had oc'
| Cured in the ordinary way, he would
have borne his loss with equanimity,
| But, according to the reports published
in the newspapers, 1t appeared that the
misfortune had been entirely brought
| about by the fragrant dishonesty Of Mr..
| Slowbody, who had taken advantage oil
his seniors temporary absence to ab'
scond with an enormous sum Of money,
and had apparently contrived to sc,
| clear away with his booty. The great
est sympathy was expressed for Mr..
| Want. who had fastened home on hear
ing the startling news, only to find
himself utterly ruined. 1t made Mr..
| Gimblet very angry indeed to think
that he had been robbed, and he deter
mined that Mr.. Slowbody should not
escape scottrfree for want of any assist
ance he could render.
Accordingly Mr.. Glmbiet attended
the preliminary meeting of the ere lit.
ors of the firm, dressed in his best, will
the inevitable flower in his buttonhole.
Nobody paid the slightest attention tC
to him, for he modestly kept in the
background and took no part in the
proceedings. He did not trouble his
head by attempting to follow the fig
ures and the dry business details which
bore upon the important question OF
the dividend the estate would yield. but
certain parts of Mr.. Wants pathetic
and eloquent statement interested him
so much, that when the meeting ad-
iourned, he politely accosted that gen.
tleman and requested a few minutes
conversation.
Mr.. Want seemed inclined to resent
Mr.. Gimblet's demand as an imperti'
hence. He vas a tiorid, elderly man,
with a loud voice. and rather pompous
manners. He probably considered that
oRkzr kha ornnIa etatafnnnf ho had moAa
the questions he had satisfactorily an
swered. and the unanimous vote OF
sympathy by which his creditors had
testified their appreciation of his
straightforward conduct, he might be
spared the opportunities of individual
creditors.
81 am afraid that just at this mo-
ment / have no time to give you. SIR -
he replied. glancing rather supercil-
iously at MI. GIlmblet.
every well. Only l thought l might
possibly be of some service to you.''
said MI. Gimblet, quietly.
SIN what wayp" inquired Mr.. Want.
"My name is Gimblet," said the
ex-detective, producing n of his bust.
ness cards.
"Ohl ahl To he sure" said MIR.
Want, with sudden cordlality. 81
believe you generally transacted your
business through my late partner. That
is why / did not recognize you. Come
in here"
MI. Gimblet followed Mr.. Want into
O small private room. with a gratifed
smile upon his shrewd lips. Vanity
was the ex-detective's weak point, and
he could not help feeling fiattered at
Mr.. Wants change of manner.
IT believe you are M of the smaller
creditors, Mr.. Gimblet, fortunately for
YOURSELF remarked Mr.. Want, when
they were alone.
YES" said MI. Gimblet, taking a
mental note OF the fact that for the
first time during the day Mr.. Want
showed signs of nervousness. "How-
ever, l did not wish to trouble you
about that
"Ob, don't consider me for a mo-
ment," said Mr.. Want, with a wave of
his white hand. II place myself en-
tirely and unreserYedly at the DISPOSE
ton of my creditors. Everything l
possess IN the world my house, my
plate, and my carriages, and even my
wife's je~welry-wIll go toward in
creasing the dividend and repairing
this terrible disaster as far as lies III
my power"
$50 l understand" said Mr.. Climb
let, quite unmoved. 81 wanted to ask
about Mr.. Slowbody."
"a warrant has been issued for his
apprehension" said Mr.. Want, some
what impatiently.
''Yes, sir, l know. But not until
too Late"
"What do you manP l gave infor-
nation to the police within an hour of
my return home" SAID Mr.. Want, red
deniDg slightly.
81 understand the facts are these, {"
said Mr.. Gimblet." You and your
family we're staying at Biarritz."
"We have been there two months"
i~nterposed Mr.. Want.
Exactly. You had no suspicion of
your partners proceedings until"
.Until l received his letter written
from Queenstown, informing me of his
flight" interrupted Mr.. Want quickly.
ST Immediately started home by the
Hrst train, and after spending half an
hour here. | called in the police. You
see / did not lose a moment"
mo; but the letter did not reach
you till several days--more than a
week, In fsct-after date" remarked
Mr.. Gimblet.
s'That is so. Unfortunately / had
left Biarritz with my family the day
before the letter arrived there. Con-
SO uently 1t had to be forwarded on to
PARIS. and That caused delay.0